Across the Sea
by Garnet Seren
Summary: I actually created this originally for a course assignment. All characters belong to Biowave. Story is my own Based on ME3 with a FemShep & Thane Romance. It this takes place just after Thane's death with the crew heading for the Cerberus Base. Rated M, just to be safe.


Across the Sea

Pure morning light filtered through the voile curtains that fluttered in the warm breeze. Illuminating the gentle white hues of the bedroom. Caressing it's way around the carved, white washed furniture and soft cottons of the bedding before settling it's defused rays onto her face.

The cat purred contently at the foot of the bed as she listened to the ocean waves lapping at the sandy shore line. She could imagine the foamy wash cleansing the beach ready for the new day ahead.

She smiled to herself. Enjoying the peaceful serenity of the moment and the stark contrast from the intensity and passion of the previous night. Memories of their long awaited encounter, the heat of their entwined bodies, the taste of his lips, the love she felt for him growing with each movement, all these things swirled in her mind's eye.

She let her gaze linger on the defined features of her lover's face as he lay beside her. Tracing her fingers over the contours of his toned chest, she relished the marked contrast of their skin, adoring the evident differences of their races.

"Siha" He whispered gently as he stirred from sleep. Her smile radiated in reaction to hearing his pet name for her. He reached out to cradle her face in his hand as he planted a tender kiss on her eager lips. "I love you, Siha" he murmured as she melted into him...

* * *

...She awoke. The stark lines and glossy black lacquer of her quarters, coupled with the immense view of open space brought home that she had been dreaming of him again. Perhaps home wasn't quite the right word, she thought to herself. A stealth freighter hurtling through the 'final frontier' was hardly home, especially now he was gone.

"Thane" she sobbed, as tears rolled down her cheeks. Her beautiful, beloved Assassin had been taken from her. The memories consumed every private moment, the recurrent dreams filled her sleep. Her life had changed the moment she had met Thane, recruiting him for the last suicide mission the crew had been assigned to. That mission had been and gone, they had all survived and two years had passed, only for her to witness Thane being cut down whilst trying to protect an innocent.

She didn't bother to wipe the tears from her cheeks as she reached for the datapad that lay beside her on the bed. It had become a ritual, watching the last video messages he had recorded for her, every night and morning she would replay them. They were a comfort and a torture. Pressing the switch, Thane's face flickered onto the screen, she steeled herself before hitting play.

"Face it bravely" Thane's soothing voice instructed her. "I know you are good at that. I love you." He added.

She hugged the datapad close to her chest. She ached for him. She had lost loved ones before, seen friends die in battle, but the pain had never stung so much or hit so deep. She refused to cave in to the negativity, she wouldn't give their enemies the satisfaction. She was using the pain, the anger. It made her sharper, deadlier.

"Commander?" questioned the voice of Flight Lieutenant Jeff 'Joker' Moreau over the intercom.

"What is it Joker?" She asked back. Shaking her head that after all these years serving together, he still referred to her as Commander and not Shepard like everyone else.

"ETA in one hour Commander." He replied "erm..."

His nervous paused caught her attention, perhaps more than it should have, but Joker was never a man to be shy to voice his opinions.

"Yes Joker?"

"Are you... Is um... Commander I..." He trailed off.

Shepard smiled to herself in affection. She knew the crew had been concerned for her since Thane's death, she had done her best to hold it together in front of them, but she knew she couldn't always hide the anger or pain.

"I'll be on the bridge in ten" she told him, trying to sound positive.

The command centre was a hive of activity as she strode out of the elevator. Her fury was lifting the weight of her heavy armour, her eyes glinting with determination. This mission was pay back, they were homing in on the Cerberus headquarters at Cronos Station, they were closing in on the bastard that had killed her Thane. The whole crew knew it, this was more than a mere mission against the enemy. This was personal.

Reaching the cockpit, she was half surprised to see her three most trusted squad mates; Garrus, Liara and Tali stood waiting for her, accompanying the familiar sight of Joker lounging in his pilot chair.

The mixture of emotions must have flickered on her face, as Garrus walked towards her, his greater height towering above her petite frame.  
"We are right behind you Shepard." He told her simply, concern lining the features of his battle scarred face.

She mustered a smile in response and nodded.

If Thane had been the calming influence in her life, Garrus has always been the rallying one. He was her best friend after all and it pained her to see the worry in his eyes.

As Garrus stepped back, Liara and Tali embraced her. This caught Shepard off guard and tears threatened to break free. These two women were like sisters to her, but they had never hugged before a mission. She regained her composer and gently pulled back from them, catching a glimpse of Joker's anxious expression from the corner of her eye. Her smile genuine as she looked from his awkward brother-like figure to the rest of her friends.

"We have the best team and the best damn pilot in the galaxy" Shepard told them "Things are going to be fine."

Even she was surprised at how much like her 'old self' she sounded.

* * *

The next two hours passed in a strange haze, expeditious and gruelling. From being approached in the hanger by EDI, the ships AI-Android, with the unusual request to be a part of this mission on the grounds of 'her' hacking abilities to almost endless waves of Cerberus forces her small squad had encountered during their advance through the Station's ducts and lift shafts.

Shepard's battle-rage grew with each enemy that crossed their path. The normal subtle beauty of her face a hard mask. She was like a Norse Beserker, fury growing with each dead body. In her long career as a Marine, she had never been so savage, she had always tried to be merciful, killing cleanly and swiftly, but only as a last resort.  
Garrus' voice penetrated her blood-haze"I'm glad you're on our side" he told her as they ascended the final ramp.

It took EDI mere moments to hack the lock into the inner sanctum of the base. Weapons readied, the trio edged themselves into the darkened office.

Shepard felt a pang of dissatisfaction upon realising the room was empty, save for the flickering orange monitors that shone out of the gloom.  
Still with caution, they approached the screens with trepidation, anticipating a trap to be sprung at any moment.

"Not so fast" came a cold voice from behind them.

"You" snarled Shepard, eyes narrowing and lips contorting to a joyless half-smile.

She would know that voice anywhere. Kai Leng. Thane's murderer.

Clad in black, Kai Leng surged forward, ninja-style assassin with biotic powers charging, aimed directly at Shepard.

She managed to side roll out of the way, before unleashing a hail of bullets from her M-27 Scimitar Shotgun.

Her shots were joined by a torrent from Garrus' Assault Rifle and a burst of EDI's Incinerate tactic which left their enemy dazed by the flames that threatened to engulf him.

Finally, she charged a burst of her own biotic powers that threw Kai Leng across the room. He fell hard. Blood pooling around his body, the smell of singed fabric filling the enclosed space.

It was a mistake, believing this had finished off such a ruthless assassin.

Once the trio had turned their attention back to the data screens, Kai Leng silently rose to his feet, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.  
Without warning he lunged at Shepard, ninjato blade held ready, aiming to sever her spine.  
Shepard spun instinctively. Shattering the ninjato blade with the hardened gauntlet of her armour whilst unsheathing her own trusty omi-blade.  
She trust deep in between Kai Leng's ribs, feeling his weight sag against her.

"That's was for Thane you son of a bitch" she goaded him.

* * *

Later, debriefing over and alone in her quarters, Shepard gazed at Thane's image on her datapad.  
She sighed. Her vendetta was ended.  
Focus had returned to the bigger picture, a galaxy to save from imminent invasion.

Perhaps this should have daunted her, but she was comforted by the knowledge, if the worst came to pass, Thane would be waiting for her, across the sea.


End file.
